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Differentiate YOU

That amazing array of honey products got me thinking about personal brand. We are all at a fair of sorts. Whether the marketplace or in your social circles, there are many others competing for time, for opportunity. How do YOU differentiate YOU?

Most of us don’t think about a conscious plan for standing out. We have learned to blend in. But great leaders stand out. Work that is extraordinary captures our attention. If you fail to stand out, you will be passed over at promotion time. Overlooked in the marketplace. Ignored for the most important opportunities.

Some work stands out so much that it generates that viral buzz that the media savors. If it makes you uncomfortable just thinking about that type of attention, I have good news. It often is tiny differences that make the big difference. Success often happens at the margin. If your work is only slightly better, you have an enormous advantage. Often we look with interest at the shocking or spectacular, but settle for purchasing or consuming something closer to our version of normal. The choice we make, however, is usually one that is just ahead of the competition.

Are you a leader? Leaders do not blend in. They don’t hide their unique qualities.

It’s a honey festival. What would you expect? Honey! And honey is a commodity, right? It’s all the same. If you want honey for a recipe, or to add to some hot tea, you pick up some honey at the store.

My view of honey completely changed when I attended the Lithopolis Honey Festival last year. I left not only with new information about honey, but also with observations on how to make nearly any business stand out.

Arriving at the festival, I see the streets have been closed to allow for tents to fill the streets. People are everywhere, crowding the vendors. With so many people milling about, how do the honey manufacturers attract customers?

As my family walks down the street, we stop to visit each table. I begin to notice how wrong I am about honey. There are innumerable ways that each company is different.

STAND OUT

Don’t sell a product. Entertain the audience. Crowds gather around to see “Bee Beard.” That’s where a man of perhaps questionable sanity has somehow managed to create a beard made of hundreds of bees, extending down his body and circling his head. From the number of people crowding around, it’s clear that this team is successful. It’s hard not to stop and take a look.

Use personality to develop loyalty. Some honey producers were present in the aisles with a friendly smile. They were not accosting or overly aggressive. These savvy customer service honey sellers met us in an engaging way, answering questions. Somehow in the first minute, we know the history of the business and the family. You don’t need an academic study to know that you are more likely to buy from someone you know.

Create unexpected flavor. Did you know that honey could come in cinnamon or raspberry? Resisting the chance to try various flavors is futile, so we stop and taste a few. Now we are comparing notes, sharing tastes. Engaging with a product in this way increases the sale opportunity.